Gena the Crocodile

Gena the Crocodile (Krokodil Gena, 1969) is the Soviet stop-motion short you can watch online on iFILM — the film that introduced Cheburashka to the world. Gena spends his days working as the crocodile at a city zoo, then comes home to an empty apartment and a chess game with no opponent but himself.

Tired of that loneliness, he tapes up notices around town asking for friends. They arrive one by one: a girl named Galya with a stray puppy, and a small, big-eared creature called Cheburashka, found inside a crate of oranges. Together they set out to build a House of Friendship for everyone in the city who has no one. Standing in their way is the meddling old Shapoklyak and her pet rat, causing trouble mostly for the fun of it. Roman Kachanov directed; Vasily Livanov voices Gena.

Nineteen minutes made at Soyuzmultfilm, adapted from Eduard Uspensky's book, that lodged itself permanently in the culture — the birthday song, the look of that little brown hero, the gentle idea that a friend can answer a classified ad. Plain, warm, and made for kids and parents alike. Stream Gena the Crocodile (1969) online on iFILM.